The number of migrants who try to cross the southern border typically increases in the spring months. Both the Obama administration in 2014 and the Trump administration in 2019 saw unusually high numbers of children arriving at the border alone. Mr. Mayorkas and other Biden officials have avoided describing the situation on the southern border as a crisis. As of Wednesday, there were 536 migrant children in Border Patrol custody for an average of 24 hours. Many of the children who arrived at the border in 2019 are still in the country waiting to see an immigration judge.

Source: New York Times May 13, 2021 21:39 UTC